Constantina (Dina) Spiropoulos, MD, is a pediatrician who provides trauma-sensitive care for inpatient children and teens at the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center in the Buffalo-Niagara region. WNY Children’s Psychiatric Center’s mission is to provide high quality, comprehensive behavioral health care services to seriously emotionally disturbed children and adolescents and to partner with their families throughout the continuum of care.

Her previous position was in a private pediatric group practice where she had the joy of implementing a Healthy Steps program grant funded by the NYS Office of Mental Health. She partnered with a social worker trained in infant mental health to bring universal maternal depression and developmental screening with linkage to needed services. The specialist provided a safe space for caregivers to address any adverse childhood experiences or current stressors impacting family wellbeing. True practice transformation was accomplished prior to leaving her position.

As a fellow in the University of Massachusetts Parent-Infant Mental Health Program, Dr. Spiropoulos began pediatric advocacy work focusing on the needs of babies and young children. Her experience taught her the importance of working across systems of care for better treatment and outcomes of children and families. She was grateful to represent NYS-AIM and advocate at the state level as a workgroup member of the Preventive Pediatric Clinical Advisory Group. The Group, part of the Medicaid Redesign in New York: The First 1,000 Days on Medicaid initiative, has strongly recommended in their report for integrated behavioral health care that is sensitive to the relationship between the health care practitioner and family, culturally sensitive, age appropriate, and 2–generational. The report has been endorsed by NYS AAP and accepted by the NYS Department of Health.